US STOCKS-Markets flat ahead of Ireland meet, retailers up

                                

                                
 * Ireland debt woes, China inflation could be headwinds
                                
 * Target rallies after results and outlook, lifting Costco
                                
 * GM IPO could raise up to $22.7 bln, be US's biggest ever
                                
 * Indexes: Dow flat, S&P up 0.2 pct, Nasdaq up 0.4 pct
                                
 * For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US]
  (Updates to early morning trading)
                                
 By Ryan Vlastelica
                                
 NEW YORK, Nov 17 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little
changed on Wednesday as investors awaited clarity on how a
European Union-IMF mission would help ease Ireland's debt
crisis.
                                
 Ireland said it would work with officials from the EU and
the International Monetary Fund to help its struggling banking
sector, a process that could lead to a bailout despite Dublin's
reluctance. For details, see [ID:nLDE6AG004]
                                
 In China, the government said it will take forceful
measures to stabilize consumer prices. The news pressured
commodities, sending crude oil down 0.6 percent.
[ID:nTOE6AG067]
                                
 Renewed concerns over euro zone sovereign debt woes and the
prospect of China raising rates to rein in inflation helped to
sink equities in a broad selloff on Tuesday.
                                
 "After the tumultuous market yesterday, people are taking a
wait-and-see attitude towards Ireland and China," said Peter
Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel in Charlottesville,
Virginia. "If Ireland doesn't agree on a plan, it would be a
negative not just for Europe, but for the whole world."
                                
 The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 3.29
points, or 0.04 percent, at 11,018.96. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index <.SPX> was up 2.26 points, or 0.19 percent, at
1,180.60. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 9.75
points, or 0.40 percent, at 2,479.62.
                                
 On the upside, Target Corp <TGT.N> climbed 3.8 percent to
$55.57 after it posted higher-than-expected quarterly profit
and forecast sales would be the best in three years. Retailer
Costco Wholesale Corp <COST.O> was one of the top percentage
gainers on the Nasdaq 100 <.NDX>, rising 1.4 percent to $66.68.
[ID:nN17187289]
                                
 General Motors Co [GM.UL] set the terms for a landmark IPO
that could be the largest in U.S. history and could raise up to
$22.7 billion. [ID:nN17165039]
                                
 If the formerly bankrupt automaker succeeds, it could bode
well for Chrysler's own planned offering, Fiat SpA <FIA.MI>
Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said late Tuesday.
[ID:nN16135148]
                                
 In the latest U.S. economic data, new home building slumped
to its lowest level in more than a year in October, while
consumer prices rose, but the annual increase was the smallest
on record. [ID:nN17190977]
  (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)